Pair of Early Alvar Aalto Tank Chairs Model 400 by Artek Finland circa 1940 

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Pair of Early Alvar Aalto Tank Chairs Model 400 by Artek Finland circa 1940 

About the Item

Pair of Early Alvar Aalto Tank Chairs Model 400 by Artek Finland Circa 1940? Magnificent and rare pair of early twentieth century 'Tank' Model 400 armchairs, designed by Alvar Aalto and Manufactured by O.y. Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas A.b., Turku, for Artek, Finland Circa 1940 the laminated bent birch frames with original petrol blue velvet fabric to seat and back, as beautiful as they are comfortable, the Model 400 was created by Alvar Aalto in 1936 for an exhibition at the Milan Triennale, where it was promptly awarded a prize. The chair owes its nickname “Tank” to its distinctive wide and sturdy armrests made of form-bent birch lamella and to its robust upholstery. The springy cantilevered frame offers a flexible, comfortable seat. A favourite since the 1930s, these early examples are quite unique in the fact that they remain untouched and in original condition, although the fabric is tired its perfectly useable and the chairs show great patina, the chairs can be upholstered but our choice would be to leave them exactly as they are, reserve now.? Biography Alvar Aalto Finnish 1898-1976 ?In contrast with the functionalism of the International Style (as well the neoclassicism put forward by the Nazi and Soviet regimes), Alvar Aalto brought a refreshing breath of humanism to modern design: "True architecture exists only where man stands in the centre," he wrote. Aalto designed furniture in stack-laminated plywood composed of Finnish birch, which was cost-effective and lent warmth to his interiors. Aalto also revived Finnish glass design with his entries in the various Karhula-Iitala glassworks competitions throughout the 1930s. ?In 1936 he won first place for a collection of colourful, wavy vases in various sizes titled Eskimoerindens skinnbuxa (The Eskimo Woman’s Leather Breeches). The vases were an immediate success and the most popular size, now known as the "Savoy" vase, is still in production today. Aalto's freeform designs, in harmony with human needs and nature, anticipated the organic modernism of the 1950s and 1960s; in particular, his innovations in bent plywood had a major impact on designers such as Charles and Ray Eames. Provenance: Private London collection Summery: Mid Century ?Circa 1940? Alvar Aalto O.y. Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas A.b., Turku Artek ?Finland Tank Model 400? Original Pair Rare?Investment Practical & Beautiful Condition: The chairs are offered in good original condition with age related scuffs and marks, the arms show signs of wear, the fabric is in original condition and shows signs of age, no odours or smells, wonderful patina Dimensions: Height: 27” / 69cm Width: 33” / 84cm? Depth: 26” / 66cm Floor to seat: 15” /38cm Floor to arm: 19.5” / 50cm.

Creator:
Artek (Manufacturer),Alvar Aalto (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 27 in (68.58 cm)Width: 33 in (83.82 cm)Depth: 26 in (66.04 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Birch,Velvet
Place of Origin:
Norway
Period:
1940-1949
Date of Manufacture:
1940s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading. The chairs are offered in good original condition with age related scuffs and marks, the arms show signs of wear, the fabric is in original condition and shows signs of age, no odours or smells, wonderful patina.
Seller Location:
Longdon, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1832325837882

Shop All Alvar Aalto

Alvar Aalto

An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, tables and lighting to table- and glassware — Aalto’s sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design.

Relatively few Aalto buildings exist outside Finland. (Just four exist in the United States, and only one — the sinuous 1945 Baker House dormitory at M.I.T. — is easily visited.) International attention came to Aalto, whose surname translates to English as “wave,” primarily through his furnishings.

Instead of the tubular metal framing favored by the Bauhaus designers and Le Corbusier, Aalto insisted on wood. His aesthetic is best represented by the Paimio armchair, developed in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the chair’s frame is composed of two laminated birch loops; the seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and others who later came to the material.

Concerned with keeping up standards of quality in the production of his designs, Aalto formed the still-extant company Artek in 1935, along with his wife, Aino Aalto, whose glass designs were made by the firm. In the latter medium, in 1936 the Aaltos together created the iconic, undulating Savoy vase, so-called for the luxe Helsinki restaurant for which the piece was designed.

Artek also produced Aalto pendants and other lighting designs, many of which — such as the Angel’s Wing floor lamp and the Beehive pendant — incorporate a signature Aalto detail: shades made of concentric enameled-metal rings graduated down in diameter. The effect of the technique is essential Alvar Aalto: at once precise, simple, and somehow poetic.

Find a collection of vintage Alvar Aalto stools, vases, dining tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.